March 13 - Galatians 3:19-22

March 13 - Galatians 3:19-22

Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

One of Athanasius’ points in explaining humanity’s need for a divine Savior was that even though the Law and the prophets had been put in place to bring God and man back into right relationship, it was never going to happen. 

Humanity’s basic nature was corruptible and even though (up until the point of Christ), the Law and the prophets might have brought men to a point of repenting for a specific, those things could not bring full repentance that transformed a person (or an entire nation) from death to life.  The Law could not bring re-creation, re-birth or new life.

God offered humanity creation to prove that He was among them every day.  He still asks us to recognize that creation is a symbol of His presence in the world.  When humanity continued to move away from Him, He gave them the Law.  Within the Law was found the planbook for living a righteous life – a life that would keep God at the forefront of the people’s minds.  When humanity disobeyed the Law, God brought forth the prophets, who used words that He gave them directly to remind people of their sin and plead with them to return to righteousness.

Those things were put into place until the time came that was right for the Word of God … Jesus Christ to come to earth and live among humanity and then die the worst death possible at the time, return to life so that He could bring us, through His sacrifice out of the chains of death … abolishing the fear of death … into new life.

Now repentance is based on His sacrifice and has a chance to work in our lives.  It isn’t based on our own righteousness, but on His.  We are free from ourselves and all the corruption that we are.  We don’t need to rely on the Law or the prophets … only Jesus Christ for our lives.